History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Average customer rating:

couldn't put it down
Great Revisionist History
Fabulous, thorough, historically accurate novel
The best of Penman's fabulous historical fiction
Excellent writer; Excellent story; not a single dull page

Sunne in Splendour
Sharon Kay Penman
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0345363132
Release Date: 1990-01-14

Book Description

"The reader is left with the haunting sensation that perhaps the good a man does can live after him--especially in the hands of a dedicated historian."
SAN DIEGO UNION
In this stirring historical novel, Sharon Kay Penman redeems Richard III from his villainous role in history as the hulking, evil hunchback. This dazzling recreation of his life is filled with the sights and sounds of battle, and the passions of the highborn. Most of all, it brings to life a gifted man whose greatest sin was that he held principles too firmly for the times in which he lived, and loved too deeply to survive love's loss.

Customer Reviews:

couldn't put it down.......2007-09-16

I'm not a fan of historical fiction. I picked this up cheap somewhere and it sat around for a year or two before I dove in. Hesitant to start, I couldn't put it down once I got going. It was one of those "you don't want it to end books".

I've read a fair amount about the Wars of Roses (time frame of this novel) and felt like I was getting a great story and a re-cap of good history to boot. I'm not an authority but the history seems fairly spot-on. The author has some notes regarding her few changes at the book's end.

One sided? Yes. She's a Richard fan, no doubt. I lean toward the Richard camp anyway. I don't agree 100% with a few things but that's ok. The story works and maybe she is right about all of it. You'll like the either way. On more than one occasion I found myself wanting to jump in the story and lend a hand (as if I was could!). It gets that exciting. The main characters are well developed and to be fair, you heart will go out the Lancastrian as well as the Yorkist.

If your interested in the Wars of the Roses, medieval history, or good old family warfare (this beats Godfather stuff any day), go for it.

Great Revisionist History.......2007-09-03

A thoroughly enjoyable and enlightening read. I love the way she makes the characters come alive. No cardboard cut outs here! By making over Richard, one gets a more balanced picture of what might have happened. The supporting cast--Buckingham, Hastings, Elizabeth, etc.--are well drawn, too, and the complexity of the period is brought out in an exciting way. Loved it!

Fabulous, thorough, historically accurate novel.......2007-06-26

Though a novel, THE SUNNE IN SPLENDOUR accurately reflects the times (approx. 1459-1485). The story is sympathetic toward Richard III, but it is less romanticized than some other fiction in this category.

If memory serves (I read the book awhile ago.), it treats the disappearance of the princes as a murder - one committed by the Duke of Buckingham without Richard's knowledge or consent. I think this scenario is unlikely, but the work is fiction, and no one knows what happened for certain.

While the novel centers around Richard, readers also will learn about Edward IV, who reigned during most of the time period covered by the book. You will also learn about the disputes between the Houses of York and Lancaster, as well as the role of the French, and to a lesser extent, the role of Burgundy during the Wars of the Roses.

Penman is an awesome storyteller - strong character development, credible blend of fact and fiction, engrossing writing style.

The best of Penman's fabulous historical fiction.......2007-05-17

I love all of Penman's historical fiction, and I think this is the best one. What more can I say...it's in a class all its own.

Excellent writer; Excellent story; not a single dull page.......2007-05-17

This was my first time to read Sharon Kay Penman. She's the best. The other reviews will tell you about the story. I'm just wanting to brag on the writer. This was her first novel which is set in 15th century England. Next she wrote a trilogy about 13th century England and Wales, Here Be Dragons, Falls the Shadow, and The Reckoning. They should be read in that order. I hope this review is helpful. I look forward to reading all of Sharon's books.

Agincourt: Henry V and the Battle That Made England

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Approachable History
Agincourt: Henry V and the Battle that Made England
History the way it should be written
Excellent read
Agincourt: A great medieval battle in France leads Henry V of England to greatness

Agincourt: Henry V and the Battle That Made England
Juliet Barker
Manufacturer: Little, Brown and Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0316015032

Book Description

From a master historian comes an astonishing chronicle of life in medieval Europe and the battle that altered the course of an empire.

Although almost six centuries old, the Battle of Agincourt still captivates the imaginations of men and women on both sides of the Atlantic. It has been immortalized in high culture (Shakespeare's Henry V) and low (the New York Post prints Henry's battle cry on its editorial page each Memorial Day). It is the classic underdog story in the history of warfare, and generations have wondered how the English--outnumbered by the French six to one--could have succeeded so bravely and brilliantly. Drawing upon a wide range of sources, eminent scholar Juliet Barker casts aside the legend and shows us that the truth behind Agincourt is just as exciting, just as fascinating, and far more significant. She paints a gripping narrative of the October 1415 clash between outnumbered English archers and heavily armored French knights. But she also takes us beyond the battlefield into palaces and common cottages to bring into vivid focus an entire medieval world in flux. Populated with chivalrous heroes, dastardly spies, and a ferocious and bold king, AGINCOURT is as earthshaking as its subject--and will confirm Juliet Barker's status as both a historian and a storyteller of the first rank.

Customer Reviews:

Approachable History.......2007-09-15

Juliet Barkers' Agincourt: Henry V and the Battle that Made England is a one of those rare history books where the characters and context all come to life. Immensely readable and highly informative I recommend this book to anyone wishing to know more about the history of England and the English speaking peoples. The only negative comment would be that, on occasion, there is too much detail about minutia, usually minor characters. However, that is just a quibble. Overall I highly recommend this book.

Agincourt: Henry V and the Battle that Made England.......2007-06-07

This is a fabulous read. Showing a high degree of respect to her sources, Barker treats the subject with integrity - provides the historical facts while educating the reader on conflicting conclusions of other historians. She also shows how contemporary reactions differ from a more modern reading of history.

This book also provides good insights into dynastic change in England primarily, but also in France.

I couldn't believe how hard it was to put the book down.

History the way it should be written.......2007-06-04

This is an outstanding book that manages to do the seemingly impossible: It's a scholarly, heavily annotated study that is also fast-paced and exciting. It's literally a stay-up-late page-turner.

The book does require some "unlearning." That is, what most people know about the Battle of Agincourt is based on vague memories of Shakespeare's play or film versions. The real story is actually better and more exciting than those. The battle was not fought in isolation; Barker's book allows us to see and feel the complexities of the social, political, and military situation in Europe at the time of the battle, and these complexities require some unlearning of what most of us think we know about that time.

The political situation at the time was hellishly complex, and at the time of the battle, Henry V knew for a fact that he was not only King of England, but King of France, too. Of course, since his father had deposed Rickard II to become King, his claim rested on shaky ground. In addition, the King of France knew for a fact that he was King, though France was plunging into civil war at the time over that claim. In addition, everyone involved was convinced that God was on his side. In short, the pot was boiling when Henry V decided to invade France to assert his claim. The Battle of Agincourt was the culmination of the struggle.

The book is divided into thirds. The first third details-- and I mean DETAILS-- the background, describing the lines of succession, the political and economic institutions of the day, and the basis of chivalry. The second third details the battle, both in military terms and in human ones. This is one of the most vivid accounts of what it must have been like to be in combat then that I have ever read. The final third details the aftermath and the long-term effects of the battle.

Barker is an academic historian, and she is very careful to offer sources for her conclusions, particularly when they differ from popular thinking. But she doesn't let this get in the way of keeping her story moving. It's actually easy to forget that this is serious history, but the annotations are always there for the checking.

The one thing that would have improved the book for me would be more and better maps. The two that are included just don't have sufficient detail. The genealogy charts for the British and French royal families could have been more detailed, too. It can be a challenge to keep track of the various dukes, barons, etc.

This is an outstanding book. It will reward someone engaged in serious historical studies and someone who just wants to read more about the battle after seeing Kevin Branagh's Henry V. I recommend it very highly.

Excellent read.......2007-02-21

I cannot begin to imagine the difficulty in writing history that can be read easily. Authors who are able to do this have a special gift. I have bought many books over the years that are dry as dust and hard to chew. The author of this book does an excellent job in making the nitty gritty details stay alive and the pages easy to turn.

Agincourt: A great medieval battle in France leads Henry V of England to greatness.......2006-10-20

Agincourt is the lastest book by noted Bronte biographer Juliet Barker. Barker received her Ph.D. from Oxford in Medieval History; needless to say she is an expert on Agincourt!
Henry V (reigned 1413-1422) was the greatest warrior king in British history. His victory over his French enemies at Agincourt on Oct. 25, 1415
led to an overwhelming victory. High ransom paid for French hostages added to Henry's coffers; the fame of England's victory was celebrated
in minstrely, poems, songs and most famously in Shakespeare's history play Henry V. (Later made into a famous film by Laurence Olivier in 1944 as the British along with their allies were planning for the D-Day landings in France.
Barker is excellent in limning the characters of such renowned figures as Rauol de Gaucourt the gallant French soldier who defended the town of Harfleur until it was forced to surrender. He was later imprisoned in England. Henry V comes across as a pious, good king who could exert cruelty and diplomacy in equal measures in the governing of his kingdom (he considered himself to be king of both England and France),
The book details how a medieval army was paid, fed, quartered; taught the arts of war and chilvary and what weapons were utilized (the English archers won the battle as they slaughtered the French attacking them in a rainy, misty dawn across muddy fields). The English had about 6,000 troops but triumphed over the vast French forces facing them.
The French were divided by hatreds and factions being poorly led. The English troops were led by Henry a military genius and charismatic leader.
Juliet Barker has done a fine job making this 600 year battle come alive for the reader.

Average customer rating:

"No good ever came from visiting the past."
Great Entertainment and Great History
Justice is All That is Left!
Richard the Good!
THE ROSE OF YORK: CROWN OF DESTINY Is A Worthy Read!

The Rose of York: Crown of Destiny
Sandra Worth
Manufacturer: End Table Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0975126482

Book Description

Richard III is said to have murdered his nephews for their throne, but this second historical novel in the ROSE OF YORK series--winners of a remarkable ten awards--tells a different, well-documented, and dramatic story: A man of conscience, Richard is a reluctant king, forced into power and chosen by destiny to save a nation from bloody civil war.

Customer Reviews:

"No good ever came from visiting the past.".......2007-03-09

The second novel of Worth's Rose of York trilogy, Crown of Destiny covers a critical period of the life of Richard, Duke of Gloucester. Brother of Edward IV, Richard has remained in the background by choice as his brother sinks into increasing dissolution, the king's wife, Elizabeth Woodville, tainting the court with the venality of her actions on behalf of the Woodville family interests. To avoid the entrenched hostilities of Edward's realm, Richard removes his family to their estate at Middleham. It is there that Richard begins experimenting with a judicial system that treats all parties as equal before the law, laying the groundwork for a reign that will be defined by its reform of the judiciary and establishment of trial by jury before one's peers. Removed from the contentiousness of the court, Richard throws himself into his work with great enthusiasm, enjoying a peace he will not know again.

Edward argues violently with his brother, George, Duke of Clarence, thanks to the constant machinations of the queen, who never ceases to plot the downfall of her enemies. Although not of royal lineage, Bess harbors grand ambitions, not the least of which is to see her son succeed his father on the throne of England, the Dower Queen at his side. But first, George must be removed, both of Edward's brothers a threat. Richard stands by, helpless, the king deaf to his pleading, as George is accused of treason. Soon after George's death, the king falls ill and succumbs as well, even though he is in the prime of life. Even though Edward appointed Richard Lord Protector of the prince from his deathbed, the court teems with the schemes of those who would wrest the power from Richard. Assuming Edward's dying wishes will be honored, Richard accepts his task, but once more his naiveté blinds Richard to the intentions of those around him. Viewing the world in black and white, Richard is oblivious to the subtle nuances of human behavior, often escaping catastrophic results through the intervention of those around him who dare to speak the truth.

Nearly outwitted by the crafty Bess, Richard takes charge of Edward's young son, planning the boy's coronation. Then another shock: a document exists that may thrust Richard on the throne, saving England from more years of civil war. Caught in a moral conundrum not of his own making, Richard makes the most difficult decision of his life, showing a marked maturity and sense of history when dealing with the treasonous offenses plotted against him. He acts decisively, but once more Richard's natural inclination for fairness interferes with his judgment in dealing with traitors. Believing kindness will be repaid by loyalty, Richard pardons all but one of the offenders, assuming the best from those who are his sworn enemies. The die is cast and the reluctant king assumes the mantle, his brothers silent in their graves, as well as many of the loyal Neville's. Much maligned by the Tudor version of history, Worth's Richard III has not the coldhearted duplicity required to perform the heinous acts of which he has been accused over the years, an uncommonly just man who only wants peace and prosperity for his country. Richard will be tested during his reign, betrayed by the ambitions of those who call themselves friends. Luan Gaines/2007.

Great Entertainment and Great History.......2006-12-15

The many mysteries of the reign of King Richard III of England have occupied both popular fiction and academic writing for many years. Worth's fluid style makes the Rose of York series a pleasure to read, and those with a special interest in the period will especially appreciate her deft handling of the historical sources, to which she is absolutely faithful. It is especially gratifying to find that for once Richard's wife, Anne Neville, is not portrayed as a weak and ineffectual semi-invalid, but is instead shown holding court and dispensing patronage in her husband's absence in the grand tradition of the medieval noblewoman.
Worth skillfully develops secondary characters like John Neville, George of Clarence, Anthony Woodville and Henry Stafford, Duke of Buckingham. For example, Buckingham appears for the first time in Crown of Destiny at the wedding of the Edward IV's son Richard to Anne de Mowbray, one of the few times that the historical sources record that Richard and Buckingham met before Richard became Lord Protector upon his brother's death. Buckingham gained enormous influence with Richard in a very short time, a peculiar circumstance which Worth attributes to Richard's loneliness after the death of his beloved brother. One suspects that this influence will be a factor in the author's solution to the central mystery of Richard's reign, the question of whether he murdered his nephews in order to usurp the throne. But for that, readers will have to wait for the third book in the series, Fall From Grace. I, for one, am looking forward to it enormously!

Justice is All That is Left!.......2006-12-03

In discussing Sir Thomas Malory's account of King Arthur's knights, Richard of Gloucester says to Anthony Woodville that his favorite part is when Arthur slays Mordred. While this initial comment might lead a reader to think that Richard is again displaying his brutal character, as he is depicted in history, it would be wise to hear his amplification of that comment, "Justice is done." Woodville responds, "But justice comes at high cost. To get at Mordred, the King must sacrifice himself." Richard replies, "You miss the point. The cost of treachery is what's high. Justice is all that's left."

This lengthy interchange is worthy of significant notice as it parallels the main characteristic of Richard III as portrayed by Sandra Worth in this second novel of The Rose of York series about the King so often maligned in the accepted historical record. Yes, Sandra Worth and other Ricardian scholars and writers have come to a different conclusion - King Richard III always acted from a just and thoughtful analysis of the political facts and opinions available at the time in question.

For it is the audacious and despicable behavior of the Woodvilles against King Edward IV, Richard of Gloucester's brother, and the rest of the Plantaganet clan that almost undoes England's respectable relationships with Europe and almost destroys England itself with civil and political war. Richard watches his brother evolve from an idealistic, strong ruler to a deluded, drunk, blind, and irresponsible weakling totally unaware that his few murderous acts were leading to a disastrous end. As could be expected under such conditions, former loyal advisors and servants become as decadent as their leader because of their own lust for ambition and power. What an education for a future king - and how brilliantly this author portrays the individual as well as the political climate under which this all occurs.

So it is no small wonder that Richard becomes a man totally focused on justice - after watching his brothers and so many more murdered for base and mistaken reasons. His faithful and perceptive wife, Anne, can only comfort him so much but does help him preserve his sanity in the midst of even more horrific events. Indeed, he eventually even learns that his own family harbors momentous secrets that will affect the future of England and which he will not learn about until a most critical moment after his brother, Edward's, death - one for which his brother George was condemned to death by Edward.

Sandra Worth knows how to write superb historical fiction! The reader comes to appreciate the depth of Richard's character in taut suspense through the spare yet plot-driven tale quickly emerging under Worth's deft, depictive skills. With meticulous research, this author proceeds to engage the reader in truly understanding where the term "blind justice" originated and what it truly means in the life of a respectable and memorable political leader of amazing stature!

Congratulations, Sandra Worth! You have done it again with realistic and creative skill - and so much more! I can't wait to read the final novel in this noteworthy series, The Rose of York:Fall From Grace.

Reviewed by Viviane Crystal on September 4, 2006

Richard the Good!.......2006-11-05

I very much enjoyed this book, as I did the Crown of Destiny. Sandra Worth knows her stuff. Richard 111 is shown as a sympathetic character very much devoted to his older brother. In his time he was well loved, especially in the North of England. His nastiness was created by the Tudors and there is no contemporary docuentation regarding a withered arm or a hunchback. He was quite a warrior and it would have been impossible for him to wield the weapons of the time if he was physically challenged.

However, no one is perfect and it does appear that Richard had a slight case of paranoia. This may have gotten worse as he became older, thus he probably "lost it" once in a while - strawberries anyone?

I still prefer Sharon Penman's portrayal .of Richard, hence only 4 points

THE ROSE OF YORK: CROWN OF DESTINY Is A Worthy Read!.......2006-10-13

Pardon the pun, author's last name and well, you get it. This is the second in a trilogy by Sandra Worth detailing the life of Richard III. I found it to be much better reading than the first! The pace was much faster and I found myself with a REAL page turner in my hands!

In this novel Richard III is a conscientious, principled man and the author's story really brings this across. How difficult it must have been to become something you never wanted, King of England. Anne Neville, wife to Richard is also a courageous, strong willed person whose health was anything but. She also never desired to be a monarch, Queen, no less of England. Hers and Richard's lives were destined to be anything but what they truly desired. Their cherished but short lived privacy was shattered, especially when Richard accepted the crown. Their son's health was also a source of great joy but greater sorrow.

I vastly enjoyed this second novel in the trilogy and am very much looking forward to the third!

History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)

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Check and see
Suprise! Suprise!
Prescient St Augustine?
Something of a disappointment
Romulus courts Helen, Paris founds Rome, Moses goes to Troy..

History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
Anatoly T Fomenko
Manufacturer: Delamere Resources LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 2913621066

Product Description

`History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2` is the second volume of the most explosive and astounding tractate on history ever written - however, every theory it contains, no matter how unorthodox, is backed by rock solid scientific data. The book is easy and pleasant to read; it is well-illustrated, contains hundreds of charts, graphs and illustrations, copies of ancient manuscripts, and countless facts attesting to the falsity of the chronology used nowadays. You will be amazed to discover: - That the chronology universally accepted today and taken for granted is simply wrong; - That ALL methods of dating of ancient sources and artefacts known today are erroneous or non-exact; - That there is not a single document that could be reliably dated earlier than the XIth century; The Author refers to the Middle Ages as the Antiquity and proves mutual superimposition of the Second and the Third Roman Empire, both of which become identified as the respective kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Furthermore, he asserts that the famous reform of the Occidental Church in the XI century by Pope Gregory Hildebrand was the reflection of the XII century reforms of Byzantine emperor Andronicus who in his turn identifies with Jesus Christ. The Trojan war counted by Homer happened only as late as of the XIII century A.D. and the great poet actually lived in XIV century A.D. No stone in history of Antiquity is left unturned. Literally. This book is the beginning of a major correction to the chronology we live with.

Customer Reviews:

Check and see.......2007-06-21

I don't care what other people say of this book. Those affirmig it's fake, they hadn't ever read it. Or have some special reasons to do so. "Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see..." This book won't make you feel comfortable. It'll make you feel free. It'll make you feel you're "not the only one" to feel you'd been lied to for centuries.

Suprise! Suprise!.......2007-03-22

Here is a serie of books which turns "the whole world" upside down. I learned a lot of it and I hope that a new book from A.T. Fomenko will follow very quick. A absolute must for everybody who is interested in history or even a little bit from it.

Prescient St Augustine?.......2006-02-05

We can so far divide the New Chronology into the following three parts:

a) The verifiable theory that proves consensual chronology wrong with the aid of astronomy, statistics and mathematics;

b) The new chronology hypothesis based on a new understanding of known historical facts and the most likely logical explanation of the most obvious inconsistencies inherent in the official version of history;

c) The history conjectures, that is experimental historical reconstructions based on assumptions that the authors believe to make sense in the light of their research and linguistic parallels - void of ironclad factual support to date.

Fomenko's theory complies with the most rigid scientific standards as a whole:

It gives a coherent explanation of what we already know.

- It is consistent: independent lines of inquiry all lead to the same conclusion.

- The predictions it makes are confirmed empirically.

Fomenko goes by the following axioms:

- Chronology is the basis of history;

- Human evolution has always been linear, gradual and irreversible;

- The "cyclic" nature of human civilization is a myth, likewise all the gaps, duplicates, "dark ages" and "renaissances" that we know from consensual history;

- The accumulation of geographical knowledge as reflected in cartography is a gradual and irreversible process;

- The chronological distance between a given manuscript and the events described therein is proportional to the amount of distortions it contains;

- There is no "useless" information in authentic ancient sources.

Why the mainstream historians do not shower mathematician Academician Dr.Prof Fomenko with thanks and laurels?

The Russians:

Because Fomenko asserts that there was no such thing as the Tartar and Mongol invasion followed by three centuries of slavery, providing a formidable body of documental evidence to prove his assertion. The so-called "Tartars and Mongols" were the actual ancestors of the modern Russians, living in a bilingual state with Arabic spoken as freely as Russian. The ancient Russian state was governed by a double structure of civil and military authorities. The hordes were actually professional armies with a tradition of lifelong conscription (the recruitment being the so-called "blood tax"). Their "invasions" were punitive operations against the regions that attempted tax evasion. Fomenko proves that Russian history as we know it today is a blatant forgery concocted by a host of German scientists brought to Russia by the usurper dynasty of the Romanovs, whose ascension to the throne was the result of coup d'état, charged with the mission of making their reign look legitimate. Fomenko proves Ivan the Terrible to be a collation of four rulers, no less. They represented the two rival dynasties - the legitimate rulers and the ambitious upstarts. The winner took it all! Over some 30 years of controversy, Russian historians have made a most remarkable transition - they were initially accusing the young mathematician Fomenko of anticommunist dissident activity and attempts to deface the historical legacy of Soviet Russia; nowadays the middle-aged mathematician is accused of adhering to "pro-communist Russian nationalism" and defacing the proud historical legacy of Great Russia.

The Westerners:

Because Fomenko blows consensual Russian history to smithereens, successfully removing a crucial cornerstone from underneath the otherwise impeccable edifice of World History. Fomenko adds insult to injury, wiping out one by one the Ancient Rome (the foundation of Rome in Italy is dated to the XIV century A. D.), the Ancient Greece and its numerous poleis, which he identifies as the mediaeval crusader settlements on the territory of Greece, and the Ancient Egypt (the pyramids of Giza become dated to the XI-XV century A. D. and identified as the royal cemetery of the Global "Mongolian" Empire, no less). The civilization of the Ancient Egypt is irrefutably dated to the XII-XV century A. D. with the aid of the ancient Egyptian horoscopes cut in stone. He was the first one to decipher and date all such horoscopes, coming up with mediaeval dates in every case. English historians rage at the suggestion that the history of Ancient England was de facto a Byzantine import transplanted to the English soil by the fugitive Byzantine nobility. To reward the English historians who consider themselves the true scribes of World History, the cover of the present book portrays Tintoretto's Jesus Christ crucified on the Big Ben.

The Chinese:

Because Fomenko wipes out the Ancient History of China outright. No such thing. Full point. The compilation of the so-called Ancient Chinese History is reliably datable to the XVII-XVIII century only. It is perfectly recognizable as the Ancient European history, reworked and transcribed in hieroglyphs as yet another historical transplantation, this time performed on the Chinese soil by the loving Jesuit hands. The Chinese are the next in line to go berserk. Chinese history is inevitably bound to get both more ancient and more eventful, proportionally to the growing involvement of China in the world affairs. Chinese historians will keep on finding valid proof of prehistoric Chinese spaceflights until the Politburo orders them to shut up.

The Arabs:

Too bad. Islam with all its key figures is datable to XV-XVI century A. D. Arabic historians may find consolation in the crucial historical role of the Ottoman Empire in the XVI-XVII century. The trouble is that this empire was initially a Christian state, with Hagia Sophia identifiable as Temple of Solomon, according to Fomenko! We can only guess if the acquisition of Alexander the Great (a Macedonian and a Christian) as the founder of the Muslim World Empire will make Fomenko's theories more acceptable to the Arabic mainstream. He certainly does not spare any holy cows at all, claiming The Stone of Qa'Aba in Mecca to contain the lost Arch of the Covenant.

The Divinity:

Despite of reiterated statement that his theory is all about chronology and not Religion, Fomenko stirs up a whole condominium of wasp nests. His collection of anathemas, fatwa, and other condemnations from all parties concerned is already considerable. Little wonder, considering that the history of religions à la Fomenko looks as follows: the pre-Christian period (before the XI century and JC), Bacchic Christianity (XI-XII century, before and after JC), JC Christianity (XII-XVI century) and its subsequent mutations into Orthodox Christianity, the Catholicism, Islam, Buddhism, and so on.

According to Fomenko we know strictly NOTHING about the events that predate the X century A. D.

St Augustin was prescient when he spoke unto us: "be wary of mathematicians, particularly when they speak the truth."

Something of a disappointment.......2005-09-09

After having read the first volume of this expected series of 7 volumes I was triggered by the thesis of these authors that ancient Greek and Roman history did in fact take place in the Middle Ages. So I started studying medieval history of the Middle East - also known as Islamic history - to find out if the opponents of the ancient Greeks and Romans - the Acheamenid Persians, Sassanids, Scythians, Egyptians, etc. - also have their duplicates in medieval history. My search was disappointing: none of the many medieval Islamic dynasties seemed to correspond to the ancient middle eastern rulers.

However, I did find a close correspondence between Herodotus' Persian kings and medieval events:

- the defeat and capture of an Anatolian king - the Lydian Croesus - by the Persian conqueror Cyrus is identical to the defeat and capture of another Anatolian king - sultan Bayezid - by the Asian/Mongol conqueror Tamerlane;
- the Persian conquest of Egypt by the cruel tyrant Cambyses reds almost exactly as the Ottoman conquest of Egypt by Selim the Grim (note the nickname!);
- Darius the Lawgiver of the Persian Empire looks very much alike to Sulayman the Magnificent, the Lawgiver in Islamic history;
- Xerxes, whose main claim to fame is to be defeated by the Greeks at the naval battle of Salamis, looks like Selim II (the Sot) whose main claim to fame is to be defeated by a Spanish-Italian alliance at the naval battle of Lepanto.

I should have expected Fomenko et al. to arrive at similar conclusions, however, they claim that the Persian kings are the alter egos of the Angevin kings of Sicily whose biographies do not contain the exploits of the Persian kings.

The similiarities I indicate lead to the conclusion that Herodotus must have written his Histories at the close of the 16th century. But this is extremely late, given that Herodotus is "the Father of History", so therefore all other "ancient" histories must have been fabricated even later. Yet, the founders of modern chronology - Scaliger and Petavius - laid their foundations also at the close of the 16th century and had the full corpus of ancient histories already at their disposal.

It seems to me that Fomenko has to address these inconsistencies, maybe in the forthcoming 5 volumes?

Another critique of their book is that the correspondencies between different rulers are often based on a superficial comparison of the biographies; upon a more thorough comparison many details appear that do not correspond at all.

Finally, the authors rely heavily on the works of Gregorovius (1821-1891!!) - his medieval histories of Rome and Athens - as the source of medieval history; these works are - at least in the West - hoplessly outdated and have been superceded by more up-to-date works (for instance, Julius Norwich's trilogy on Byzantine history is not even cited).

Romulus courts Helen, Paris founds Rome, Moses goes to Troy.........2005-07-30

If you agree with Fomenko that Roman chronology is basically the foundation of the entire edifice of global chronology; you would also certainly agree that despite its numerous gaps and inconsistencies, Roman history is the best-documented field of ancient history, and thus a reference scale. But how well is the actual date of the Eternal City's foundation known?

Firstly, Rome is supposed to have been founded by the Trojans who had to flee after the fall of Troy. Some claim Rome to have been founded by Aeneas and Ulysses shortly after Troy had fallen; others are of the opinion that there was an entire dynasty that ruled for 500 years between the fall of Troy and the foundation of Rome.

Well, that's just an innocent 500 years long misunderstanding compared with what heretic Fomenko says, asserts, proves in his second volume: Second Roman Empire, Third Roman Empire, Biblical Kingdom of Israel, Biblical Kingdom of Judah, Holy Roman Empire are stories about basically same events, written from different points of view at different times. The underlying events have actually taken place during xii-xv cy. These histories have been written and perfected by multitude of highly talented humanist and clerical writers of xiii-xvi cy disguised as "ancients" with glorious names like Homer, Pluto, Thucydides etc..Chronology 2.0 beta..

Historians are kindly invited to report the bugs.

For King and Country: British Airborne Uniforms, Insignia & Equipment in World War II (Schiffer Military History Book)

Average customer rating:

Probably not worth the money
"King and Country" a winner

For King and Country: British Airborne Uniforms, Insignia & Equipment in World War II (Schiffer Military History Book)
Harlan Glenn
Manufacturer: Schiffer Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0764307940

Book Description

For King and Country is the first in a series of in-depth studies which will cover the uniforms, equipment, insignia, weapons, vehicles, and personal items of the British and Commonwealth soldier of World War II. This initial volume covers the British Airborne soldier of the 1st and 6th Airborne Divisions, and the 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade. With over 540 color recreation, and detail photos and over 65 unpublished war era black and white photographs, the complete airborne rig is covered in great detail. For King and Country brings to life the British Airborne soldier as never before. Each branch of the Airborne is covered: included are the paratroops, glider troops, divisional and administrative departments, and the glider pilots, as well as those liaison and attached troops. For King and Country is an essential reference for any military enthusiast, collector, reenactor, modeler, and veteran. , over 600 color and b/w photographs, 9" x 12", 192 pages

Customer Reviews:

Probably not worth the money.......2004-01-10

Many of the recreated photographs are very nice and the color is excellent. However, many of the staged shots were done poorly and the actual text is even worse. In some instances, there are photographs of modern equipment that is "unknown" to the author. Might it be the military continued to produce things after WWII? Better research on the subject might have made this a better book. There are much better books that cover the airborne for a lot less money while being more accurate and more complete.

"King and Country" a winner.......2000-04-18

Harlan Glenn has obviously spent a great deal of time researching the uniforms and equipment that are shown in the book. If you are a collector, re-enactor, historian, or simply a fan of World War 2 British Airborne units, this book is a must have. Glenn attmepts to portray his subjects as accurately and realistically as possible, capturing them in scenes that take you back 55 years. The quality and clarity of the color photographs is excellent and helps bring the subjects to life. A minor complaint in format is where text wraps around photos, making reading difficult, but that is the only significant flaw that I encountered. The first person accounts add to the realism and give a nostalgic flavor. I would give this book five stars if not for the price. For content it qualifies for 10 stars! However, the price is a little much. Is it worth it? Yes, but it may scare off some potential buyers.

Average customer rating:

novel
All Fiction, No History
The voice of dissent
Great introduction to the Ricardian viewpoint
Richard III: History made fun...

The Rose of York: Love & War
Sandra Worth
Manufacturer: End Table Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0975126407

Book Description

Set in Malory's England during the Wars of the Roses when the passions of a few determined the fate of a nation, this acclaimed winner of a remarkable eight awards tells the true story of two star-crossed lovers -- Richard of Gloucester and Lady Anne Neville -- before they become King and Queen. A stirring tale of romance and intrigue.

Customer Reviews:

novel.......2007-09-09

ordered for my daughter,(19), she loved it. shipping was very quick, book was in very good condition, just as discribed.

All Fiction, No History.......2007-07-04

I have read hundreds of historical novels, including many about Richard III, and I have to say this was the worst--I couldn't even finish it. Within the basic outline of the story as we know it, the author creates a series of improbable characters and scenes (the Earl of Warwick sailing his own ship????). Don't bother--read instead some of the really good historical fiction about Richard (Rosemary Hawley Jarman, Sharon Kay Penman, etc.).

The voice of dissent .......2007-06-05

I was supposed to love this book. Everyone told me I would love this book. I wanted to love this book, I tried to love this book and though everyone will hate me for posting this review I'm afraid I have to be the voice of dissent on this book. I did not love it. I did not like it. I know that most of the reviews for it have been stunning, and I just don't understand why. To me the writing seems overly simplistic, even childish, and I just could not get interested in the story. Everybody had such a clear role in it, the hero, the hero's mentor, the heroin, the cruel older brother....

I just don't see what people liked about this. I didn't find it romantic or exciting, in fact, I couldn't even finish it.

Two stars.

Great introduction to the Ricardian viewpoint.......2007-06-04

This book introduced me to the controversy surrounding Richard III. Was he a villian or a fair-minded leader? Did he kill (or sanction the killing of) his nephews - the would-be Edward V and his brother, Richard - or was he framed after his death by those who supported Henry Tudor?

For this introduction, I'm grateful. Otherwise Shakespeare's Richard III was my only point of reference.

However, Worth is no Sharon Kay Penman. After reading the 1st volume in the Worth series, I picked up THE SUNNE IN SPLENDOUR. It's a far superior book. While it too paints Richard III in a favorable light, it remains true to history - at least as we know and understand it today.

THE ROSE OF YORK reads like a historical romance. At the time, knowing nothing about the subject except for the Shakespeare play and this book, I kept wondering if the truth about Richard lie somewhere in between the villian and the saint.

My recommendation is, if you favor romance over history, read THE ROSE OF YORK. But if you prefer historical fiction, read THE SUNNE IN SPLENDOUR. While biased (as any interpretation of history is) in favor of Richard, it relates much about the times and events that is accurate.

Richard III: History made fun..........2007-05-23

Upon reading other comments about this book, I seem to be looking at it from a different perspective. Most of what I've read in the genre of European historical fiction was such drudgery--stuffed with page after page of verbose, lifeless details that I was tempted to skip over. I am not normally a fan of this genre.

I met the author, Sandra Worth, at one of her book signings. She has a passion for this subject that is contagious. I took THE ROSE OF YORK: LOVE & WAR, the first of this series, home with me and have read it twice.

Worth does a great job of juggling a dizzying number of characters and events, some of whom have similar names. A couple of times I was confused, but there is a convenient family tree in the front. The incredible contrasts--evil and compassion, beauty and ugliness, chivalry and incivility--lend this story a texture that spans from one extreme to the other. I found these ironic contrasts most fascinating. Worth describes the darker parts of young Richard's life in words that paint disgusting pictures yet somehow are not vulgar; the uplifting parts follow a path of beautiful prose that is akin to poetry. That I, not being in any way a fan of romance, can appreciate this is remarkable!

This is one of the most carefully edited books I've seen in the last few years, with a conservative layout and just enough British flavour to make it feel authentic.

I understand why the serious historian--the fellow with a PhD in History--might find this book lacking. But if one reads for entertainment and enrichment, they won't be disappointed here. I'm looking forward to reading the other two in the series!

Byron C. Justice, Author of "Violent Night" and "Haunted Camps."

Command a King's Ship (The Bolitho Novels)

Average customer rating:

A true hero
Adventure packed
A gripping sea story
Intriguing but confusing
Good sea story but not great.

Command a King's Ship (The Bolitho Novels)
Alexander Kent
Manufacturer: McBooks Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0935526501

Book Description

Spithead, 1784. His Majesty's Frigate, Undine, sets sail for India and the seas beyond. Europe may be at peace—but in colonial waters the promises of statesmen count for little and the bloody struggle for supremacy still goes on.

Customer Reviews:

A true hero.......2005-05-19

No one writes a better seafaring tale like Alexander Kent. Haveing read ALL of this series, I am breathlessly waiting for the next in the series. Richard and Adam Bolitho are very memorable characters that you wish you knew in real life. You'll never miss seeing a masted ship after reading any of Kent's books.

Adventure packed.......2004-03-29

Alexander Kent is an excellent author. The adventure sequences in his novels are the type that you just can't put down once you are emersed in the story. Unlike other adventure novels where the hero has super human powers Bolitho is genuinely human and protrays human emotions in all of the stories that I have read including Command a Kings Ship.

A gripping sea story.......2003-12-24

As I have noted before in other reviews, Kent is a great story teller. In this one, after the peace is signed at Versailles between France and England following the American Revolutionary War, the protagonist of the series (this is number five in the Bolitho series), Richard Bolitho, is given command of a 24 gun frigate, the Undine (a fifth rater), and ordered to India, where his task is to assist in taking over a Spanish post, which is to revert to the British flag. The post's governor is an admiral under whom he has previously served, and who is trying to restore his reputation after a bad command call in a previous sea battle..

There is skullduggery almost immediately, including plots to sabotage the deal by the French, who are in league with local pirates, and a love affair with a British government officer's wife. Bolitho, it would seem, is naive about women and driven more by his glands than his brain (as are many young men).

In any case, this is a whale of a story, and it will keep you reading far into the night--especially if you have reached the age when vicarious adventure is more appealing than the more dangerous kind, as have I.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre, USN (Ret)

author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books

Intriguing but confusing.......2002-01-13

Bolitho has two shocks on a voyage in the Tempest to a trading outpost in SE Asia and faces the bleakest prospect yet when he arrives, up against an angry pirate king with two frigates to his one. Bolitho has never been so close to utter defeat as here. In this plot Kent awards Bolitho a bit more luck than logic. It seems odd no one ever gets a tropical fever.

I like how Kent fills his stories not only with naval actions but little mysteries, or here "peacetime" intrigues and ambitions in the Far East. Kent has the ability to rapidly shift the reader's perspective from one character's thoughts to another's in a smooth and always clear manner. Most other naval authors focus on their hero alone, and everyone else is seen from outside.

I had two problems with this novel. I had trouble visualizing the ship maneuvres relative to land. Action proceeds and suddenly there's land or a channel where I didn't expect it, or on the opposite side from where I imagined it. Most disconcerting. It's possible I need to keep much more exact track of passing mentions of wind direction, tack, and course because Kent offers few other clues and does not describe them in laymen's (landsmen's) terms. It is vital to know, for instance, that starboard tack means sailing to the LEFT (with the WIND from the right), or "helm a lee" means turning into the wind. And of course there are no maps, there never are in Kent's stories. The one in Dean King's "A Sea of Words" (an O'Brian companion) is not quite right. Masts and lamps are frequently described as "spiralling" when surely "circling" to the motion of the ship is meant? Most seriously, for a subject that produces so much of the motivation in this story (and the next two), Kent never made me like Bolitho's great love, Viola. She starts out as just another arrogant aristo who makes eyes at our Richard, and it seems stupid he falls for her. Maybe that's part of the loneliness of command.

Good sea story but not great........2000-10-27

Alexander Kent's novels are typically filled with action. Chronologically earlier entries in the series like In Gallant Company, Sloop of War, Stand Into Danger and To Glory We Steer were all action-packed page turners. In Command a King's Ship Kent attempts to do the same but I didn't find the results as satisfactory. It's a good read and a must for series aficionados but it's not one of his best.

In this entry with key survivors from To Glory We Steer, Captain Richard Bolitho is off to the East Indies where piracy is alive and pirates can set up private empires. Europe is now at peace and Bolitho must cooperate with his former Spanish adversaries. However, things go awry well before they leave the Atlantic Ocean. At their destination, Bolitho faces two formidable adversaries. He also has to face his nemesis within the British administration. There are nefarious schemes to be unraveled and fierce battles to be fought. All the elements are in place for a superb action story.

Bolitho also falls for the wife of an administrator adding romance to the story. Perhaps this element is a little too formulaic. Needless to say the husband is a cad. Perhaps it would be more interesting if her husband had been a decent man and the tension created by them both not wanting to hurt him would have been greater. As it stands, the fact that a woman is married to a nasty man is long-standing literary justification to conduct an adulterous affair.

The novel progresses with Bolitho torn over his professional duties and his personal desires. The romance is fluff and the battle scenes are fairly good. One problem that I have with Kent's novels and this one in particular, is that Kent doesn't set the reference for the battles. If Bolitho is approaching an island, it's not clear from which direction. Does the port face north, south, east or west? Is the land on the starboard or larboard side? Which way is the wind blowing? The reader rarely gets enough information to clearly understand what's going on?

It's a good story but not one of his best.

Average customer rating:
The Wars of the Roses (A Royal History of England)

Manufacturer: University of California Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Europe | History | Subjects | Books
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The Middle Ages (Royal History of England)

The Stuarts (A Royal History of England)

The Tudors (A Royal History of England)

The Houses of Hanover and Saxe-Coburg-Gotha

House of Windsor (Royal History of England)

ASIN: 0520228022

Book Description

From Henry IV, the first Lancastrian king, to Richard III, The Wars of the Roses follows the history of the kings of the houses of Lancaster and York who shaped this tumultuous period of English history. Anthony Cheetham provides insight into the politics, society, and economy of this time, and above all, he conveys the personal histories and characters of its rulers.
About the series A Royal History of England:
From the beginning of monarchical power in Norman times to the present queen, the British royal family has experienced many scandals, triumphs, and changes in public image, but few of their reigns can be described as uneventful. With contributions by specialist authors and contemporary illustrations of royal heraldry and coats of arms, Antonia Fraser has edited a definitive and entertaining history of one of the most powerful monarchies in the world.

Elizabeth Wydeville: The Slandered Queen (England's Forgotten Queens)

Average customer rating:

good history
Difficult to read typeset
Fascinating account of a fascinating woman!
Elizabeth
Another Feminist Revision

Elizabeth Wydeville: The Slandered Queen (England's Forgotten Queens)
Arlene Okerlund
Manufacturer: Tempus Publishing, Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0752433849

Book Description

Elizabeth Wydeville, Queen consort to Edward IV, has traditionally been portrayed as a scheming opportunist. But was she a cunning vixen or a tragic wife and mother? As this extraordinary biography shows, the first queen to bear the name Elizabeth lived a life of tragedy, love, and loss that no other queen has since endured. This shocking revelation about the survival of one woman through vilification and adversity shows Elizabeth as a beautiful and adored wife, distraught mother of the two lost Princes in the Tower, an and innocent queen slandered by politicians.

Customer Reviews:

good history.......2007-08-17

An excellent history of Elizabeth Wydville. Sometimes a few too many details. Shows the love between Elizabeth and Henry. A great sadness at the end of the book showing how badly a queen can be treated after the king dies.

Difficult to read typeset.......2007-05-16

I thought this book had a great deal of conjecture in it. Regarding keeping this reader's interest, the book didn't come close to most of the historical books I've been reading lately, mostly by Alison Weir and Antonia Frasier. Additionally, the print was not dark enough for easy readability, and the print was rather small. Not easy on the eyes at all.

Fascinating account of a fascinating woman!.......2007-04-08

What a studied and fascinating work this book is! We've heard many versions of the presumed accounts of the 2 missing princes who disappeared from London Tower...but what of their mother, the first Queen Elizabeth? Although we've heard much smattering of slander about her in the past, now we have a new story to consider in this lavishly researched, footnoted and indexed work reviewing the Queen's life. Although you will feel the good weight of research that the author poured into the book, you will be able to read the Queen's fascinating story without needing to be a Rhodes Scholar to delve into it.

We even get to sigh a romantic sigh as we imagine the meeting of (24 year old) Elizabeth when she met with the King (age 19) at the time he likely fell madly in love with her: "At Grafton, Elizabeth was on home territory. The Wydeville manor lay within a mile of Whittlewood Forest where the King was hunting. Having grown up here, Elizabeth knew the course that the hunters would take, the fields where the deer would be chased for the kill, the grassy spots ideal for picnics. Choosing a large oak tree, she stationed herself and her two small sons beneath it and waited. Hard in pursuit of prey, Edward saw the beautiful young mother with her children, pulled his horse up short, and marveled at the bucolic tableau." See what I mean? We really get a feel for the romance, the hardship, and the tragedy to follow.

The ancestor of Mary, Queen of Scots and of Lady Jane Grey, this slandered queen's grandson will be Henry VIII, her great-grandaughter will be Queen Elizabeth I. In her time, she will become a widowed mother of two children but then secretly marry the King of England (the younger Edward IV), thus being crowned Queen of England in 1465, her father will be beheaded, her husband the King will become exiled leaving her alone while pregnant with many young children in tow, she will give birth to the future King of England (Edward V), her brother will be executed, her son (Sir Richard Grey) will be murdered upon order of Richard III, her two sons (King Edward V and Prince Richard of York) will disappear from the Tower of London with tragically uncertain fate, her 19-year-long marriage will be declared adulterous and their 10 children will be declared illegitimate, and she will be accused of witchcraft and sorcery.

An amazing life, worth of the re-defining richly presented by this author.

Elizabeth.......2007-03-14

I have to agree with another review that it was interesting to read a different interpretation of Elizabeth Wydeville. Some of the arguments fell short, but I still thought it was well done. I'm also not sure we are at a point to be spurning historical reinterpretation just yet.
I enjoyed it and recommend that readers also read Baldwin's biography of Elizabeth

Another Feminist Revision.......2007-03-11

Is anyone else tired of hardline feminists writing revisionist histories of every female personage whose reputation may have been exagerated by contempory chroniclers?

As contempory chroniclers are the only primary information sources, even assuming that they were all misogynistic and that they unjustly slandered every "liberated" woman, there are no better sources to prove otherwise. Portraying Elizabeth Wydeville as unculpable and virtuous is adding modern prejudice to her personage even more than her contemporaries possible misogyny.

Frankly, this type of revisionist history is insulting as a scholar and as a female, and I was highly disappointed to see Alison Wier's name associated with this farce.

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